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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26274310">They Carried Them Home by Thunder</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_ship_slut/pseuds/sir_ship_slut'>sir_ship_slut</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (1954)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Blood and Gore, Blood and Injury, Dark, Eventual Happy Ending, Rare Fandoms, Torture, Violence, Whump</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-03</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 06:01:37</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply, Rape/Non-Con</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,158</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26274310</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/sir_ship_slut/pseuds/sir_ship_slut</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>After the townspeople "rescue" the girls from the Pontiepee boys, the brothers are captured and imprisoned. Now it's up to the women who love them to save them.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Adam Pontipee/Milly Pontipee, Alice/Gideon Pontipee, Caleb Pontipee/Ruth, Dorcas/Benjamin Pontipee, Frank Pontipee/Sarah, Liza/Ephraim Pontipee, Martha/Daniel Pontipee</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>16</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Please mind the tags.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It had been 18 days. 23,868 minutes. 1,432,080 seconds since the girls had been able to see and hold the 7 brothers that they loved so deeply. </p><p>   As soon as the pass was open, a group of 40 or more townsmen had stormed up the mountain to the Pontiepee's land and captured all 7 brothers. The girls had tried to help the red headed men fight, but were quickly restrained by their fathers and brothers when it was discovered that they were fighting for their captors and not against them.             Despite the crying, screaming, and begging, the girls were forced to watch helplessly as their handsome lovers were gagged and bound at the wrists and ankles. </p><p>   Frank was unconscious, his head lolling, and while all the brothers had varying amounts of blood staining their clothes, it seemed that Frank's entire face was painted an angry red, crimson blood gushing through his auburn hair and dripping off his chin. Sarah's wailing rang through the air so loudly that it nearly drowned out the cries of the other 6 women. It was then that the girls were loaded into a wagon and hauled back down the mountain with their boys, being held at gunpoint, in a wagon ahead of them.</p><p> The valley had never heard such weeping as it did that night.</p><p>   All of the girls were taken home, and Milly and little Hannah were taken back to the Parson's house with Alice. Hours passed and then days. The only thing the girls had heard from their Pa's was that the brothers would be put in jail and they wouldn't be able to see them.The girls' fathers we're convinced that the only reason the girls were trying to protect those Pontiepee brothers was because they had been brainwashed during that long winter.</p><p>  Despite her pleading, Ruth's father, who was the town jailer, refused to even speak about Caleb, much less talk about the possibility of Ruth ever being able to visit or see him again. The only one who sympathized with Ruth was her Ma. </p><p>   Fifteen days after the night that the Pontiepee's had been captured, Ruth's mother walked in on her crying in the barn. She was sitting in the hay with a baby goat on her lap, and the sharp sobs that were escaping her mouth made her Ma flinch. </p><p>   "Please honey, don't cry..." Ma pleaded, putting a hand on Ruth's shoulder and sinking down to sit in the hay with her.</p><p>   "I... I can't help it Ma. I'm scared for him." Ruth cried, gasping between words, sobs racking her body.  </p><p>   "The day that it happened..." Ruth sniffled, trailing off<br/>
"...he was showing me all the new little animals and he let me name one of the newborn goats. I-I know it sounds silly, but seeing this little guy..." she said, motioning to the kid goat in her arms, "...reminded me how much I miss him."</p><p>   Both Ruth and her Ma were silent for a few minutes until finally Ma broke the silence. "Y-you love that man, don't you Ruthie?" she asked quietly.</p><p>   "Yes, Ma. I love him. I love him with every piece of my heart." confessed Ruth.</p><p>   "And he loves you?"</p><p>Ruth nodded, a few tears still falling from her cheeks. </p><p>   "Well then," stated Ma, searching her daughter's eyes, "we need to get them out."</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Ruth's eyes widened and her mouth gaped at the words her Ma had just said.</p><p>"But Ma I thought y-"</p><p>"I did Ruth. All those months you were gone, not knowing what he was doing to you- knowing that he could be hurting you..." Ma murmured, tears pooling in her warm brown eyes,<br/>
"I was crazed with worry. I hated that man, and all of his brothers for that matter, but... even though his actions were misguided and wrong, he did it because he loved you, and I can't blame him for that. And I can't let him and his brothers stay in that jail, not after...." Ma said, trailing off.</p><p>"What Ma?! What happened?" Ruth cried, worry overcoming her features.</p><p>"Well..." Ma began, fiddling with the hem of her dress, brows knitted together.<br/>
"I brought some lunch to your Pa yesterday at work. Before I went into his office...I could hear this awful screaming coming from the cells. And I knew whoever was making those noises was in pure agony."</p><p>Ruth covered her mouth with her hand, tears falling freely again.</p><p>"Ruth...I-I walked towards it. Lord, I can still hear it."<br/>
Ma trembled, her own tears spilling over now.<br/>
"I looked through those bars, and what I saw made me run straight out of that jail, and I didn't stop running until I got back home. Ruth, honey-the things that they're doing to those boys are unspeakable and I can't abide to let it go on." Ma sobbed.</p><p>"Did you see him? Did you see my sweet Caleb?" Ruth sniffled, eyes desperately searching her Ma's.</p><p>"I-I don't know which brother it was, it was dim and I only caught a glimpse of him."</p><p>Ruth held her head in shaking hands. The wind felt knocked out of her as if she had been punched in the gut. Although she knew the conditions in the jail weren't ideal, she hadn't thought that the boys would be harmed while waiting for their trial.</p><p>"Ma what am I supposed to do? They won't let me or any of the other girls visit! Not even Milly! Maybe you could talk to Pa?" she begged, taking both of her Ma's hands in her own.</p><p>Ma pressed something metal into Ruth's trembling hand. </p><p>"Ma!" Ruth gasped, staring at the key in her palm.<br/>
"Where did you even get this?"</p><p>"Nevermind where I got it! I've tried talking to your Pa about it but it's no use. This is key is all you have. It will unlock the back door of the jailhouse. Once you're in you'll have to find the keys to the cells. Your Pa keeps the key ring in the 3rd drawer of his desk..."</p><p>Ruth was shocked that her Ma was helping her plot to break the Pontiepee brothers out of the jailhouse, but even more shocked that she was willing to go against her Pa.</p><p>"...you girls are going to have to be willing to run. I'll tell them you went North but you'll head South. I've made arrangements for you girls and your boys and baby Hannah to stay with Aunt Beth."</p><p>Ruth's great Aunt Beth was a sweet old lady who lived in a big ranch house with her husband a couple hundred miles South. Ma told Ruth that Aunt Beth and Uncle Cole were willing to secretly provide a safe haven for the couples until next spring when they could get back on their feet.</p><p>" You and the other girls will need to get together make a plan, but the sooner the better, I don't know how much longer they can survive in there." Ma said, shaking her head.</p><p>Thinking about Caleb and his brothers in such bad shape made Ruth shudder, but she knew she had to stay strong. She had cried enough tears, now it was time to save the man she loved.</p><p> </p><p>*********************</p><p>Ruth told each of the other girls that they needed to meet in secret that night, and at 12:00 midnight all of the girls were finally together again. They had gathered in the yard behind the church. Ruth quickly filled the girls in on what her Ma had told her and revealed the plan to them. All of the girls were anxious and worried, but so happy that they were going to be able to reunite with their men soon. </p><p>"But where will we go once we get them out?" Martha asked in a worried voice.</p><p>"My Ma has made arrangements with my Aunt Beth and Uncle Cole, they have a big house a couple hundred miles South and they're willing to let us stay with them until next spring." Ruth replied quietly. </p><p>"We're going to need two wagons and some horses. We need to get them out as soon as we can. How fast can you girls get your things together?" questioned Milly, speaking up for the first time. </p><p>The girls all agreed to be ready in two nights' time. Each girl would need to travel light, so the wagons weren't overloaded with unnecessary items. They would need food and medical supplies as well. Milly knew that it would be difficult to take Hannah along on the road, but she was convinced that she could make it work. </p><p>If everything went according to the plan, the jail keepers wouldn't realize the boys had escaped until they went to check on them in the morning and by then they would be long gone. Even if they tried to pursue the group, they would be pointed in the wrong direction. </p><p>"We'll bring only what we need, and I'll pack some of my Pa's clothes incase the boys need them." Dorcas   whispered, wringing her hands nervously. </p><p>Each girl agreed to bring as much food and supplies as they could and Milly and Alice would drive the two wagons that the girls and brothers has been brought down the mountain with, as they had been left outside of the Parson's house along with the horses. </p><p>"Alright girls, we'll meet back here at the same time two nights from now. Well load up the wagons and then we'll go get our boys." Alice stated triumphantly.</p><p>And with that, each girl quietly disappeared back into the night under the cover of the shadows</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>It was finally time. The seven women and little Hannah were back in the church yard in the darkness of the night. As the girls loaded the supplies into the two wagons, they couldn't help but be terrified of what they might find within the jail cells.</p><p>"Alright, I think that's the last of it." Milly said softly, wiping her hands on the apron of her dress. </p><p>Hannah was sleeping peacefully in a white bassinet nestled on the front seat of the wagon. The girls had loaded equal medical and food supplies into each large wagon just in case they happened to get separated. Each wagon also held extra clothes for both the men and the women, a large tent, two guns, a dozen canteens of water, and as many quilts as they could fit as well as a few personal items.<br/>
Milly and Hannah, along with Adam, Caleb, Ruth, Frank, and Sarah would ride in the first wagon while Benjamin, Dorcas, Daniel, Liza, Ephraim, Martha, Gideon, and Alice would ride in the second wagon. </p><p>"Okay girls, let's get going, every second we waste is a second more that they have to spend in that horrible place." Martha warned, shuddering.</p><p>With that, they climbed up into the wagons and started towards the jailhouse, the only sounds to be heard were the clopping of hooves on the dirt road and the wind whistling through the trees.</p><p>*********************</p><p>The back door of the jailhouse squeaked open on it's rusty hinges. The wooden floorboards creaked and groaned, sending eerie echos through the empty building. The only light came from beams of silver moonlight softly spilling through the windows.<br/>
Ruth led the girls down the hallway toward her Pa's dark office. Sarah and Dorcas lit two oil lamps, and though it was still quite dark, the soft glow of the lanterns brought a little bit of comfort to the women. Hannah was still sleeping soundly all bundled up in Milly's arms. As she rifled through the drawers filled with papers and other various items, she hoped that her Ma had been right about where her Pa kept the keys to the cells. Just as Ruth was starting to have doubts, her fingers closed around a cold metal ring. It jangled as she rose to her feet and held the key ring up triumphantly. Three keys, one a bit larger than the other two, glinted in the moonlight.</p><p>"How do we get to the cells?" Liza questioned, eyes quickly scanning the hallway that connected to the small room. </p><p>"It's this way...w-we have to go down into the basement."</p><p>Ruth silently slipped through the shadows, being sure to avoid the windows, and motioned for the others to follow. About ten feet down the hall, the girls reached a wooden door reinforced with iron. Ruth held her breath as she inserted the largest key into the lock with shaking hands. When it clicked into place and the knob turned, all of the girls let out a collective sigh of relief. The door swung open to reveal a set of steep stairs. </p><p>"Hand me a lamp." </p><p>Sarah handed one of the lamps over to Ruth, and the group of girls began their descent into the shadows.</p><p>The seven sets of soft footsteps on the rickety wooden stairs sent ominous groans through the air, making Ruth shudder.<br/>
As she glanced back over her shoulder, she saw that Martha and Liza were gripping each other's hands, both of the girls' knuckles were white. Alice's bottom lip was already quivering with fear. </p><p>When they finally reached the bottom of the stairwell, the girls saw the ten or more cells with iron bars that lined both sides of the room. Milly was the first to speak. </p><p>"A-Adam?" Her voice cracked as she whispered his name. </p><p>The girls waited and listened, barely even breathing, but only eerie silence greeted them.</p><p>Milly spoke a little louder now.</p><p>"Adam, are you here? Please...please you have to be here!"</p><p>Again, nothing but silence answered back. </p><p>Just as Milly was opening her mouth to speak again, a wheeze sounded from the opposite end of the dark basement. </p><p>"I...I'm...h-here." </p><p>The shaky voice was little more than a murmur, but it was unmistakably Adam's.   </p><p>"Ruth-" Milly gasped whipping around to face the other girls. </p><p>"The key, give me the key!"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Adam</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Milly rushed to unlock the cell, one of the two identical keys in hand. The two lamps had been set in the wide aisle, casting light into the cells on both sides.<br/>After the key clicked and the heavy door swung open, Milly handed the key off to Dorcas. </p><p>Hurrying into the cell with Hannah in one arm, Milly spotted a dark figure slumped in the corner. As she got closer she could hear his shallow breathing. </p><p>"Milly, is-is it really you?" Adam rasped, reaching out a hand toward her. </p><p>As she took his outstretched hand in hers and sank to her knees, she couldn't help but notice how badly Adam had been beaten.</p><p> His left eye was swollen shut and covered in black and purple bruises. Dried blood was crusted in his hair and down his face. Milly noted that his nose was broken as well. He was shirtless and what remained of his pants was ripped to shreds. What horrified her the most though, was his chest. Bolded letters had been carved into Adam's upper chest to spell out the word 'THIEF'.</p><p>Milly stifled a sob and clung to her husband, tears running down her face and dripping onto Hannah's white blanket.</p><p>"I'm here now, I'm here. Everything is gonna be fine." Milly breathed, hugging Adam tighter. </p><p>When he groaned in pain, she shot up and assessed him again.</p><p>"R-ribs...broken." Adam wheezed, curling in on himself.</p><p>Milly gently lifted his right arm and gasped in alarm. Angry purple and blue bruises stretched down the length of his ribcage. The other side of his body was bruised as well but, thankfully, not as bad.</p><p>"Adam, we're getting you and the other boys out of here, we need to hurry. Can you walk?"</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Gideon</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The other girls scrambled from cell to cell unlocking the barred doors and darting inside of them to see which brother was in which.</p><p> "Alice!" Martha called. "Gideon is in this one!"</p><p>Alice ran over, ducking inside of the dark cell.</p><p>She saw him at once. He was curled up on the cold stone floor in the fetal position, arms protecting his head.<br/>
Alice rushed toward the crumpled figure, tentatively placing a hand on his wrist. The pale skin was ice cold under her touch. </p><p>"Gideon, a-are you alright?" she squeaked, gently shaking him.</p><p>There was no response. Not a sound from him, no movement at all. In fact, Alice could not even see the steady rise and fall of breathing.<br/>
Summoning all of her strength, she gingerly rolled the man onto his back so she could see his face. </p><p>Alice covered her mouth with both of her shaking hands, gasping in alarm. The tears were flowing freely from her eyes now. What little composure she had had before lay shattered around her like glass.</p><p>She could barely recognize the man that lay before her. His fiery hair was smeared with dried blood, as was his face and body. Both of his eyes were swollen and black and there were cuts and bruises all over him. The ugly proof of him being severely, and likely repeatedly, beaten. Gideon's lips were split and swollen, no ghost of that crooked, ever present smile that he had always seemed to wear. Perhaps the worst of all though, was his neck. Hideous bruises of red, purple, black, and yellow encircled his throat in the shape of fingers. Alice could make out many long red scratches as well, as if Gideon had tried to claw at the hands that had strangled him. </p><p>Alice cradled his face in her hands, trying to check for any signs of life. </p><p>"Gideon! Please wake up...please, please, please. You can't be gone." she wept, shaking his shoulders wildly.</p><p>She laid her head on his chest, right over where deep grooves had been carved into him, spelling out the word 'THIEF'. At first she couldn't make out anything over the sound of blood rushing in her own ears. But then, ever so faintly, a heartbeat. Then two, then three. </p><p>Alice breathed a sigh of relief and whispered<br/>
"Thank you, God." </p><p>She reached down and clutched his large hand in her own.<br/>
Just then, a weak cough shook Gideon's chest. Alice shot up straight, eyes frantically searching his face. She cupped his jaw tenderly, thumb moving back and forth across his cheekbone.<br/>
His brown eyes fluttered open slightly, and when they settled on Alice, they widened. The whites of his eyes were horribly bloodshot. Alice felt Gideon's fingers tighten around her own as gravelly sounds escaped his mouth. Alice realized that he was trying to speak to her.</p><p>"Shh...shh...it's okay. I'm here. Don't try to talk." she crooned, tears rolling down her cheeks. </p><p>Alice rubbed his back as rasping coughs racked Gideon's whole body, causing him to double over. She couldn't help but notice how thin he had gotten. </p><p>"We've got to get you up, we're getting you out of here."</p>
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